Best Pizza in Bergen County — 5 Shops Worth the Drive

Bergen County takes pizza seriously, and the best shops here are not the chains — they are old-school counters and taverns where the crust is the whole point. Here are five shops worth a morning or evening drive, each with its own style, from razor-thin bar pies to classic Sicilian slices. All five are casual, kid-friendly, and happy to do takeout.

The 5 Shops: 1. Kinchley's Tavern, Ramsey — the thin-crust legend. Kinchley's bar pies are famously thin and crisp, served in a classic tavern setting that has been a Bergen County institution for generations. Order a plain pie first to taste the crust. 2. Lodi Pizza, 19 US-46, Lodi, NJ — an old-school counter joint beloved for its classic cheese pizza and its Sicilian slice, plus a pepper-and-egg sandwich that regulars swear by. Cash-only counter, cheap, and proudly no-frills. 3. Curioni's Pizza, 80 Liberty Street, Lodi, NJ — a historic family-run pizzeria known for its 12-slice Sicilian pie and Italian heroes, in a casual, kid-friendly dining room. 4. Pizza Town USA, 89 US Highway 46, Elmwood Park, NJ — a retro roadside pizzeria serving thin, crispy New York-style slices since 1958, plus deep-fried calzones and powdered zeppoles for dessert. Outdoor picnic tables make it an easy family stop. 5. Famous Pizza, 63 East Ridgewood Avenue, Paramus, NJ — offering 10-inch pan pies, 18-inch New York-style pies, and gluten-free and vegan options, so everyone at the table can order what works for them.

Pizza With Toddlers: Go early — before 6 p.m. the counters are calmer; order one plain pie for the kids and a second pie for the adults; takeout is your friend — a pie at a nearby park picnic table beats a meltdown in a crowded dining room; bring wipes; save room for zeppoles at Pizza Town USA.

Make a Pizza Crawl of It: Start in Lodi (two shops in one town), swing through Elmwood Park, and finish in Paramus — all within about 20 minutes of each other. Or pair Kinchley's in Ramsey with a stroll through Ramsey's downtown. Either way, come hungry.